A tactical flashlight is a piece of equipment for special tasks: precise, resistant to damage, made for the toughest conditions. If you are planning to buy one, it is useful to know what to look for before buying. We also suggest which models are worth recommending.
Tactical flashlight – what are its characteristics?
A tactical flashlight has little in common with an ordinary flashlight. Although they both have the same purpose – to illuminate in the dark, they are vastly different in terms of degree of sophistication. The tactical flashlight is a top-of-the-line piece of equipment, designed to help in extreme, very difficult situations, providing very powerful light – not only to illuminate a huge area, but also to blind an attacking assailant when he attacks us. Its metal construction also helps – just in time to use it for self-defense. It is also suitable for breaking glass, for example, in a burning building. They also work well as tactical flashlights for weapons.
Tactical lighting will never let us down, both when it comes to strong light output, and also because of other parameters: impact resistance, drop from a great height or other factors, for example, water, dust, other contaminants.
Power supply and light source – why so important?
By far the most important thing in any flashlight, let alone a tactical model, is the power supply and light source. The power is great in the equipment in question, lithium-ion batteries with capacities often exceeding 5000 mAh are responsible for this. Thanks to them, the flashlight provides a long operating time. Some military lighting is powered differently – by batteries.
When choosing a tactical flashlight, pay attention to the quality of the LEDs, as they should have the highest quality and length of operation. It is no coincidence that the diode in a good tactical flashlight can work for 60,000 hours! The device should provide the user with illumination of as large an area as possible. When looking for the right model, pay attention to the light output. Good results are provided by the power of 3000 lumens.
Workmanship material is key
Just as important as the power supply and light source is what material the flashlight is made of. Mostly it’s aircraft aluminum, which is additionally subjected to an anodizing process for reinforcement. With this technology, the equipment is completely protected, so it is unafraid of mechanical damage (falls, stepping on, shocks) and the impact of adverse weather conditions. Most decent flashlights offer IPX8 protection, thus providing protection for continuous immersion of more than 1 meter, as well as complete dustproofness.
Flashlight appearance and ergonomics – what issues are important?
When buying a tactical flashlight, let’s also evaluate its appearance and functionality. It has a military look, which is not surprising, since this form increases its ergonomics. This makes it fit well in the hand, which is especially important if you need to turn it on quickly. There should be no problem with that. It’s best if the switch is on the back, as this makes it easier to actuate it with your thumb.
Which tactical flashlight is worth buying? Here are the recommended products!
- High-powered tactical headlamp, T-Force H1L, 1050 lm
Lightweight, weighing only 38 grams, but with a great output of over 1,000 lumens. Its compact size and ability to detach from the belt to use as a handheld light make it an extremely comfortable and practical piece of equipment to use. It offers a variety of power options – rechargeable battery, rechargeable battery, or ordinary sticks. It delights in its quality of aerospace aluminum workmanship. It features a high dustproof rating, IP68 water resistance and drop resistance.
- T-FORCE HP tactical flashlight, 1800 lm
It provides maximum luminous flux – 1800 lumens, not coincidentally, it is very often chosen by uniformed services. The body is made of hard anodized aircraft aluminum. Waterproof (IPX8 certified), resistant to drops from 2 meters. The flashlight has a range of up to 320 meters, and its runtime is also impressive – up to 17 hours.
- T-FORCE LSR tactical flashlight, 550lm, green laser
This professional tactical flashlight with T-Force LSR laser sight, is designed to work with personal defense equipment like GLOCK, P-99, etc. It provides a maximum luminous flux – 550 lumens. With a 5mW green laser, it’s easy to track any target. The aluminum housing is fully waterproof, as confirmed by IPX4 certification.
As we can see, tactical lighting must provide a strong light output and reliable power supply, the flashlight should be made of the best materials and feature ergonomics.